North West Leicestershire

North West Leicestershire's population expanded in the decade leading up to the most recent census. Data from the census also show there were changes in housing tenure, health and work life.

The population passed 93,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of North West Leicestershire increased by 9.3%, from just over 85,500 to 93,500.

The addition of just under 8,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, North West Leicestershire was home to, on average, 2.4 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was similar to the average across the East Midlands

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across the East Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Changes in family structure

This area saw the East Midlands' third-largest fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

Across the region, only Hinckley and Bosworth (from 11% to 9.7%) and Melton (from 10.0% to 9.1%) saw a greater decrease in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

During this period, North West Leicestershire went from having the fourth-highest to the 13th-highest percentage of households with only adult children living with their parents out of 309 English local authority areas.

In 2011, just over 1 in 10 (10%) households in North West Leicestershire had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 11% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 30% to 29%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across the East Midlands

Percentage of households that where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in North West Leicestershire that rented privately increased from 5.4% to 11% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in seven (14%) households lived in social housing, compared with 16% in 2001. The percentage of North West Leicestershire households that owner their home decreased from 76% to 72%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 8.5% in 2001 to 15% in 2011). Across England, the proportion increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in North West Leicestershire increased by 5.8 percentage points

Percentage of households in North West Leicestershire, the East Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of North West Leicestershire residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.8% to 5.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (81%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 67% in 2001. The percentage of North West Leicestershire residents that described their health as fair decreased from 24% to 14%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 9.4% in 2001 to 5.7% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in North West Leicestershire decreased by 3.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in North West Leicestershire, the East Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in North West Leicestershire working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 15% to 12% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 40 (2.5%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.5% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 14% in 2001 to 10% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in North West Leicestershire decreased by 3.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in North West Leicestershire, the East Midlands and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in North West Leicestershire

The number of people in North West Leicestershire from the White ethnic groups increased from about 84,000 in 2001 to about 91,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 99% to 98%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the East Midlands (from 93% to 89%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in North West Leicestershire from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 460 in 2001 to just under 1,100 in 2011 (from 0.5% to 1.2%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from about 420 to about 880 (from 0.5% to 0.9%).

Just under 210 people (0.1%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 79 in 2001 (0.2%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between ethnic groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the White ethnic groups in North West Leicestershire decreased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and North West Leicestershire by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

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